During nucleic acid polymerase reactions, as the polymerase enzyme proceeds along the template, a nascent nucleic acid strand is generated. When such polymerase reactions are conducted in restrictive volumes (i.e., less than 1 μl), steric hindrance problems can arise as the nascent strand grows in length. In restricted volume reactions, the nascent strand is more likely to hinder the progress of the polymerase enzyme than in reactions taking place in less restrictive volumes. Methods for mitigating such steric hindrance would be beneficial in certain polymerase reactions, e.g., those carried out in restrictive volumes.